Escape Galge Protag Chapter 3

Btw I thought it was pretty obvious but maybe it wasn’t, seeing the entry of EGP on NU… ‘Escape Galge’, ‘Renai Kakumei Onii-chan’, etc. are shortened from the actual titles. I’m just arbitrarily using these because, well, they’re shorter.

The day after I experienced the most unpleasant day of my life. I awoke to a most unpleasant mood. The morning sun was hateful to the extent that I wondered if I’d become Dracula.

It was time to wake up. When I looked at the screen of my smartphone to turn off the alarm, there were calls from that guy. There were also mails.[1] … Just his name appearing in my field of vision is unpleasant. I deleted him from my contacts and blocked all incoming calls and messages from unknown numbers.

“… Alright!”

Today onwards, I’m reborn. It’s a Brand New・Torida Kii.

I broke into tears after reaching home yesterday, and cried in the bath because I didn’t want my eyes to get all puffy. Submerged in the bathtub, I cried. Even if I raised my voice underwater, you could only hear blub blub sounds, so my family didn’t hear me crying. If I let the water pour over my face, I won’t have to rub my eyes and thus they won’t swell easily. Other than that, I simply cast ‘mind control’ on myself, that it’s a waste to shed tears over that scum. A maiden’s tears are extremely precious. What a waste, what a waste.

First of all, I naturally stopped tying twin tails. Leaving my hair down, I lightly coiled the ends and made soft curls. It gives a slightly mature feel. … It’s solely my personal impression though. I also took off the ‘cunning’ cardigan and tied it around my waist. I’m changing my image. Isolating myself from the『imouto label』! It’s a De-Cunning Campaign!

Next, I’ll definitely drag that guy to hell!

“Kii!”

I psyched myself and opened the door at the entranceway in high spirits. I then wanted to close it the very next moment.

(… Why is he here?)

My brows reflexively furrowed. The one whom I thought should be wiped from the face of earth, Kagurazaka Aoi from the scum family of the scum species, is there.

It can be that he’s concerned over the disappearance of the favorability rating, and is here to ascertain that. Come to think of it, I was also in the middle of confessing. Close shave, I was just about to cross the Sanzu River[2], huh. I don’t want to get directly involved with him anymore, but I can’t be stuck by the entrance forever.

“Kii? … You give off a feeling different from usual, don’t you. You changed your hairstyle?”

Looking at me who left the house, the scum acted bashful and blushed as though he was captivated. I’ll never be fooled by that acting again.

The me from before would have asked something like『Is it weird?』; questions that will induce a『It’s cute』response. And once I’m told that it’s cute, I’ll go『Being told that by senpai… I’m very happy』while turning red like a tomato. However, I won’t do something cold like that now that my eyes are opened.

“Please do not call my name so familiarly.”“… Eh?”“Rather, kindly refrain from speaking to me at all from now on. Bye.”“Eh? Eh?”

He seems to be panicking with widened eyes, but even that appears irritating to me.As if I give a hoot! I left him be and started walking. In a moment, he chased after me while still looking confused. Gross, exceedingly gross. Even that face which my heart throbbed so much at, made me feel like puking when I see it. Gross. Let’s not call him ikemen from now on, but gross-man.

“Kii? What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did I… do something? It doesn’t go through even when I try to contact you…”“I deleted your contact. Your existence inside of me has also been deleted.”“Eh?”

Gross-man’s legs stopped. For an instant I saw his stiff face, but because I moved on without stopping, the gross-man disappeared from my vision. I sense a presence behind me, so he’s probably following me. Ah, gross. I can feel an aura asking me to be mindful of him. Ignore, I say! Ignore!

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Today is Monday, the start of the week. The capturable character whose favourability rating increases today is the clumsy student-teacher, Komatani Akari.

Appearance-wise, she has short red hair and light brown eyes. Her artless figure clad in a suit is appealing.

Gross-man is, as expected, with her. It’s his standard behaviour, what he usually does.

… Does it mean that I wasn’t a deterrence at all?

While it’s not like I want him to be mindful of me, I’m pissed at how bold his nerves are. Fall into hell. Step on pincushions, drown in lakes of blood, death by boiling!

The corridor on the 2nd floor along the 2nd-years’ classrooms. There, the two of them are side-by-side, chatting happily. Gross-man places his hand on Akari’s cheek, and whispers something. After which Akari’s face reddens, and she gazes at gross-man with dewy eyes.

“C… Cold.”

I’m close to shivering, thinking that I was about to be captured like that, too. I’ll freeze if I keep looking at them.

My eyes meet with gross-man’s the instant I try to look away. Gross-man’s eyes widen, and he stiffens. He hurriedly removes his hand from Akari’s cheeks, but I’m no longer a capturable target. I won’t do things like leaving in tears while crying『So it wasn’t only me!?』.

I quickly avert my gaze so that Akari won’t notice, and take my leave. I’ve an important mission.

Or so I say, but I won’t do things like killing him. Well, that’s blindingly obvious though. I won’t do violent things. I’m a maiden after all~!

I’m thinking of doing something that will be damaging to him. That is… I’m thinking of snatching the capturable targets from him. I’ll open those girls’ eyes. He probably came this far making full use of his smartphone. I’ll destroy it all. I believe that is the most effective method.Stop the harem![3] To the same extent that the global warming must be prevented, I must stop it!

First and foremost, today’s victim, Akari. She comes to this school as a student-teacher. Despite harbouring the dream of becoming a teacher as wonderful as her respected teacher… Being taken in by his trickery, she’s in a situation where the inside of her head is full of him and she can’t focus on her long-awaited job.

I secretly leave an envelope on her desk in the empty staff room. It has the photographs I took of him and the girls when I shadowed him, along with the words『Please open your eyes. Please cherish your dream. 』.

That, and one more thing. I’m thinking of using the knowledge from the game.

Akari’s desk has a book she received from her respected teacher. There should be a photograph she took with her teacher wedged within it.

“… Found it.”

At the bottom of the lowest large drawer. For it to be in such a place, does it mean that she hasn’t been reading this book recently? That’s not good.

I leave the book next to the letter which I hope can ‘awaken’ her. And gently place the photograph with her teacher on top…

“What a good smile…”

It’s her graduation photograph. The high-schooler Akari is carrying a bouquet beside her teacher, making a peace sign with a dazzling smile.

“… It’ll be nice if you can regain the feelings you had back then.”

It may be impossible for her to immediately open her eyes, but I hope that this will the impetus for her ‘awakening’. Just as I’m thinking that I’ll look at the situation and deal the next move if this isn’t effective…

――Thud thud.

“!?”

The sound of heels resounding in the corridor. One of the female teachers is probably returning. Fortunately, I can make a quick escape because the door is open. For now, I hid in the shadow of the pillar by the door which is on the opposite side of where the sounds are coming from. It’s Akari who returns. It seems she already parted from gross-man… that’s quick. She places the key back on the key rack and returns to her own desk… where she finds the letter.

What her eyes first turn to is the photograph taken with her respected teacher and the book. Her bearing seems to be saying『Why are they here?』.

Next, she takes『that letter』. Opening the envelope, the first thing she sees are the photographs.

“No way… Aoi-kun?”

Her eyes widen, and the name of the scum spills from her lips. For her to say his name, while there may be no one around, she’s probably shocked enough to forget that this is the staff room. Her legs likely can’t support her anymore; she crumbles down onto the chair. Placing her hand on her forehead, she repeatedly mumbles『No way…』in a tearful voice. My chest starts to hurt when I see that expression. The thought of『Damn scum, serve you right!』doesn’t cross my mind. As though I, who was in the same situation as her until recently, resonated with her feelings, something wells up in me. She’s reading my letter as I withstand the compulsion.

『Please open your eyes. Please cherish your dream.』

Akari’s hand, which is holding the photographs so tightly that they crumpled, suddenly lowers. Putting down the repulsive photographs, she looks at the photograph with her respected teacher and the book.

“… Teacher.”

Spilling that single word… she simply, simply gazes at the photograph.

… Let’s go. My mission is over.

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My arm is suddenly seized just as I’m about to leave the front gate in order to head home.What’s going on? Turning to look, the culprit is… it’s you, huh.

“I think I told you not to touch me, didn’t I?”“Kii, just now, there was a strand of hair on Komatani-sensei’s face. That’s why…”“I’m not interested.”“… Eh?”“Like I said, reports like that are absolutely unnecessary as it’s something completely unrelated to me.”

Looking into his eyes, I tell him clearly. Gross-man’s expression looks unsettled. It appears that he doesn’t understand what I really mean. It’s just as my words indicate, but does he not understand English[4]?

It’s also irritating how he’s calling her『Komatani-sensei』when he’s giving an explanation like this, even though he calls her『Akari』when he’s with her.

Deciding not to deal with him anymore, I try to break free and leave. However, gross-man tightens his hold and smiles at me.

“Kii. Let’s go home together.”“I eternally refuse.”

This guy, can’t he read the atmosphere? To think he extended an invitation with the flow just now. I’ll never again say『To be able to go home with senpai, I’m so happy.』bashfully.

“Please don’t ever invite me! Perpetuamente![5]”

Not bothering to check his reaction, I forcibly break my arm free and leave for home. Ahh, so tiring…

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[1] It’s customary in Japan to exchange phone email addresses rather than phone numbers.[2] River of Three Crossings: A river that the dead is believed to cross on their way to the afterlife.[3] Original written in ‘English’. ストップザハーレム Sutoppu za haremu![4] Original: Japanese.[5] That’s Spanish for ‘perpetually’. Original written in ‘English’. フォーエバー Foeba (Forever)